Dem. candidates address colleagues

Tuesday

Aug 12, 2014 at 12:01 AM

Kortny Hahn

Two candidates running for state representative seats in Lansing gave speeches at a Democratic Party fundraiser at the Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center Saturday afternoon. Cheboygan County Democratic Party Chair Leonard Page said Cheboygan County is divided into two House districts — the 107th, which covers the City of Cheboygan and Indian River and the 106th, which covers virtually all other rural areas in the county.Both the primary winners for these house seats, as well as the 37th State Senate seat candidate, Phil Bellfy, were at the Saturday' fundraiser.Bellfy is a retired professor from Michigan State University, MSU, and has been living in Sault Saint Marie since the 1970s, Page said. He is also a United States Air Force veteran who has several degrees including a doctorate in American Studies from MSU. “It’s about time we get someone with intelligence in Lansing, and if you see his campaign signs, you will see across the top, he has an interesting word: environmentalist,” said Page. Bellfy likes to refer to himself as a recovering academic. “All through my career, I have been an environmentalist, I have been working in environmental issues for over 40 years,” said Bellfy.He has had some successes with environmental issues impacting Northern Michigan, he said, and would like to continue that in Lansing. He announced his candidacy on Earth Day.“We went to the bridge and announced our campaigns and our platform, part of which is double wall, or not at all,” said Bellfy.This platform is in regard to the pipeline running under the Straits of Mackinaw. They are fighting the pipeline and are also against the fracking process in Michigan.If he is elected, he said he, along with several other politicians, will file a lawsuit to stop the extraction of water that is used in fracking. Bellfy said he is concerned about the decline of the middle class in the state, the destruction of public schools, the taxing of senior citizens and discrimination“I don’t care what the reason is, we should not discriminate against anybody for any reason whatsoever, period,” said Bellfy.Some people may not consider him an electable candidate because he is a “long-haired American Indian,” said Bellfy.Robert Kennedy is running for the 106th House District seat. This district consists of Iosco County, all the way up through part of Cheboygan County. Kennedy was a teacher for more than 38 years in Oscoda where he grew up. He graduated from MSU and then served in the Michigan Army National Guard for six years.“I’m very excited to be part of the ticket here,” said Kennedy.“As you can see, you’ve heard from Mark Totten, you’re going to hear from Jerry Cannon, we have a very strong Democratic ticket to present to the voters here in November.”Kennedy said the main focus of his platform will be campaign finance reform because he said there is currently too much money involved in the political process.Other things Kennedy said he feels are important include properly funding schools, making sure people are good stewards of natural resources, repealing the state pension tax on retired people. He said he will also work to mandate 30 percent of electricity for the state be produced by renewable resources by 2035.Kennedy added he will work to repeal the right-to-work laws, improve Internet connectivity and the roads throughout the state.“If you vote for Kennedy in November, what you are going to get is a hard-working candidate who’s honest, has integrity and will go 200 percent to back any constituent who has a concern out of Lansing,” said Kennedy. “You will get an answer from me. You will get someone to answer your question.”Jim Page is the Democratic candidate running for the 107th House seat. He retired as a sergeant from the United States Marine Corps and is also a retired teacher.Page said he wants to go to Lansing to get things done like he did during his time in the Marine Corps. He is a big advocate for the outdoors and wants to see natural resources protected. “I do believe in double wall, or not at all,” said Page.If he is elected, he said he will also vote to appeal the right-to-work laws, work to protect senior citizens and the middle class because he doesn’t feel they are adequately represented in Lansing. He will also support women and their rights as well as the gay and lesbian community. “I hope to be your representative of the 107th district for the next two to six years,” said Page.